Checkrein.



No. 808,961. W PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906. W. WILLIAMSON.

UHEGKREIN.

APPLICATION I ILED MAY 9, 1904.

WITNESSES: Mm INVENTOR %c/. max

% e/m. BY

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

Application filed May 9, 1904. Serial No. 207,106.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WILLIAMSON,

This invention is an improvement in checkreins; and it relates particularly to improvements whereby the length of the checkrein may be easily and quickly changed, so that the horses head may be either checked up, as in driving, or released by lengthening the checkrein when the horse is standing, permitting the horses head to assume a more comfortable position, yet preventing the horse from getting its head low enough to reach the ground.

A further object is to prevent loosening the checkrein from the harness-hook and also to permit the rein to be tightened by simply pushing the upper and lower parts together and to automatically lock them.

' In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a checkrein embodying my improvements, the upper end of the checkrein being broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail of the metal rider and catch by which the ring is locked in a more or less extended position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sliding tongue. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the end of the sliding tongue, showing the application thereto of the ring that engages the checkrein-hook. Fig. 5. is a crosssection taken on the line w of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are modified forms of the sliding tongue.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, my in vention consists in the checkrein 1, which is of the usual construction, secured at its upper end to the crown of the bridle and carrying at its lower end a slotted bracket or rider 2, through which slidably passes a metal tongue 3, having means for engaging the rider at various points along the length of the tongue. To the lower end of the tongue is pivotally secured a ring 4, that engages the checkrein-hook of the harness in the usual manner. For the sake of clearness in the drawings the bridle and checkrein-hook are not illustrated, as they may be of any suitable or usual construction.

The rider 2 consists in a plate having downwardly-extending wings 2' at each side. The lower ends of these wings are provided with holes 2*, through which is passed a trans verse pin 2 The checkrein 1 passes back underneath the plate 2, around the pin 2", and thence forward to the pin in front of the tongue 3, where it is secured by means of a suitable buckle 5. The pin 2 is thus held in the looped end of the checkrein 1. To prevent the rider tilting up at the front end, I provide holes at the upper or front end of the wings 2 and pass a pin 2 through them. This pin passes underneath the lower part l of the loop formed in the strap 1.

The sliding tongue 3 consists in a long strip of sheet metal having a series of openings 3 and provided with downwardly-ex tending side flanges 3 to guide the tongue along the side of the strap 1. At the forward end of the tongue 3 the flanges 3 are madesomewhat deeper, their lower ends 3 being bent inward to form flanges that pass under the strap 1 and serve to hold the for ward end of the tongue 3 in close contact with the strap 1.

To look the rider 2 in any desired position along the tongue 3, I provide the catch illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. An opening 2 is formed in the top of the catch, and upwardlyprojecting ears 2 are formed at the sides thereof. Through openings 2 in these ears is passed a pin 2 upon which the catch 6 is mounted. At the rear end of the catch below the pivot is a rearwardly and downwardly beveled projection, the front face 6 of which is vertical to engage the flat ends 3 of the slots 3 in the tongue. At the forward end of the catch 6 is provided a ring 6, by which the rider 2 and the strap 1, to which it is attached, may be slid back and forth along the tongue 3 to shorten or lengthen the checkrein. I/Vhen the ring 6 is raised, the beveled face 6 of the catch 6 is raised horizontally and out of contact with the tongue 3 but as soon as the ring is'released it drops down, permitting the catch to engage the opening 3 The checkrein may be shortened by sin1- ply pushing the checkrein 1 back, for the catch 6 does not engage the openings 3 when being moved back; but any forward pull on the checkrein 1 will cause the catch to engage in the openings 3 holding the rein firmly in that position.

To prevent the lower end of the checkrein becoming accidentally detached from the checkrein-hook, I provide at the lower or Iro rear end of the tongue 3 a pair of flanges 3 to which is secured a transverse pin 3 Pivotally mounted on this pin is a rearwardlyprojecting loop 7, preferably formed of wire or similar material. In the outer end of this loop is secured an annular ring of vulcanized rubber or other suitable material 4, by which the checkrein is fastened to the checkreinhook of the harness. A circular groove 4 is formed in the periphery of the ring 4 to receive the loop 7. To prevent the accidental unhooking of the checkrein by movement of the horses head, a rearwardly projecting flange 3 is formed on the rear end of the tongue 3 to serve as a stop to keep the ring 4 from rising on the checkrein-hook.

The construction of the buckle 5 is illustrated in Fig. 1. This buckle consists in a loop of metal 5 which takes the place of the ordinary leather loop commonly used on checkreins to hold the folded portions of the strap together. A leather loop, however, is liable to slide back and forth along the strap, especially when the strap and loop are wet, and in that case the leather loop is apt to interfere with the back-and-forth sliding movement of the tongue 3. To avoid this difliculty, I form the sliding loop 5 integral with the buckle 5 by extending the sides 5 of the buckle back and brazing or otherwise securing their ends to the loop 5. By this means the loop and buckle are made integral and all sliding of the loop is prevented.

By the means above described I have produced a simple and efficient device for quickly increasing or decreasing the length of a checkrein. It 1s simple in construction, neat in appearance, and 1s not conspicuous, because all of its parts when in use are flat down upon the checkrein-strap.

I/Vhile I have described a preferable form of tongue 3 yet I do not desire to limit myself to this specific form of tongue and rider,

as other suitable means may be adopted for locking the strap 1 at predetermined intervals along the tongue. Slightly-modified forms of tongues are illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, where 3 are hooks to engage the rider at various intervals along the tongue.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. The combination of a checkrein; a rider having a pin at its rear end engaging a loop formed in the checkrein by folding the end of the checkrein back upon itself; a catch carried by said rider; a tongue carrying a ring at its rear end and having openings in its upper surface, said tongue being slidably mounted between said rider and the looped end of the checkrein, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a checkrein having a rider at its lower end a catch pivotally mounted on said rider, said catch being formed with one end upwardly beveled; a tongue slidably mounted beneath said catch, and havin openings to engage therewith, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a checkrein; a rider having a pin at its rear end engaging a loop formed in the checkrein by folding the end of the checkrein back upon itself a catch carried by said rider; a tongue carrying a ring at its rear end and having openings in its upper surface, said tongue being slidably mounted between said rider and the looped end of the checkrein; together with a buckle having a sliding loop formed integral therewith, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WILLIAMSON. 

